Over 400 vehicles registered to participate in the show this year, a number officials said exceeded expectations.

Michelle Cuevas-Stubblefield, director of marketing and membership for Downtown Topeka, said this was a “record breaker” in terms of cars being shown and community members attending the exhibition.

The car show invites any year, make, model or style — which attracts a wide variety of vehicles.

Debby and Randy Frendle are from Topeka and were showing off their ‘29 Ford Ratrod. Randy Frendle bought the body of the car in Wichita and added the motor, transmission and tires. Now, the couple drives it to different car shows multiple times a week. This was their second year participating in Cruisin’ The Capitol.

“We love this one. Around the Capitol is a lot of fun,” Debby Frendle said. “I can’t believe the good turnout and all the people, the cars and the vendors.”

Frendle said she wants to see Topeka do more of these kinds of events — attractions to bring all kinds of people to the downtown streets to eat, drink and have fun.

“It gets the whole community involved and it’s just a good thing,” she said.

Cruisin’ The Capitol featured a “burn-out lane” down S.W. 8th Avenue where drivers could showcase their cars by revving the engine until a cloud of smoke built behind them, and then zoom off down the street in front of the Capitol.

During the day, vendors were sprinkled throughout the car displays on the streets surrounding the Capitol and there was live music as part of the Second Saturday Concert Series.

Although not officially linked, Cruisin’ The Capitol and Cyclovia happening on the same weekend helped things, Cuevas-Stubblefield said.

“We’ve been working hard to make sure downtown is good for quality of life,” she said. “And this is a great example of that.”

She said she thinks more people are starting to realize there is a growing number of things to do downtown and are beginning to take part.

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